Soviet Nuclear Strategy from Stalin to Gorbachev: A Revolution in Soviet Military and Political Thinking

PUBLISHER

Humanities Press

CITY

Atlantic Highlands, NJ

DATE PUBLISHED

1989

ISBN

0-391-03611-4

This book focuses on the diverse Soviet attitudes on nuclear strategy during the Cold War. It examines the impact of ideological beliefs, political imperatives and actions, and military views and doctrines on Soviet policy. It also highlights differences between Soviet and American strategic planning. Numerous short chapters are organized into 14 sections. The opening chapter presents the difficulties of researching Soviet nuclear strategy. Succeeding chapters then discuss the origins of Soviet nuclear strategy, the nuclear buildup during the Khrushchev era, the Strategic Limitations Arms Talks (SALT), war fighting strategy, deterrence, command and control, ballistic missile defense, Soviet reaction to the U.S. "Star Wars" initiative, civil defense efforts, and the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Force (INF) treaty. The work is useful for its presentation of Soviet perspectives during the Cold War period. It was originally published in 1988 by Berlin Verlag in Germany.